South Cappadocia Private Tour: Underground City, Ihlara Valley and Selime

Highlights

1. The tunnels, shafts and rolling stone doors of an underground city
2. The descent into the green canyon of the Ihlara Valley
3. A walk along the Melendiz River past painted rock churches
4. Lunch on a wooden platform over the water at Belisırma
5. The great rock-cut monastery of Selime at the end of the valley

Program

1. Morning

   The underground city

   Derinkuyu or Kaymaklı, whichever fits the morning: stables, chapels, wine presses and air shafts deep under the town.

   Opening hours & dress code ↓

2. Late morning

   Into the Ihlara Valley

   Down the steps into the canyon, and along the river past the painted churches.

   Opening hours & dress code ↓

3. Lunch

   Belisırma

   Trout or grilled meat on a wooden platform over the river.

   Opening hours & dress code ↓

4. Afternoon

   Selime Monastery

   A rock-cut monastery with a church, a kitchen and a great hall, high above the valley.

   Opening hours & dress code ↓

5. Late afternoon

   Pigeon Valley

   On the way back, a stop above the valley of carved pigeon houses near Uçhisar.

   Opening hours & dress code ↓

In depth

If the northern valleys are Cappadocia‘s postcard, the south is its secret. Here, whole towns lie hidden under the fields, and a green canyon cuts through the dry plateau. Local guides call this route the green tour. Our South Cappadocia tour follows it privately, so we choose the underground city that suits the day and walk the canyon at your own speed.

Into the Underground City on the South Cappadocia Tour

We start under the ground. In 1963, a man in Derinkuyu knocked through a wall of his house and found a tunnel behind it. That tunnel led into a city that reaches about 85 meters (279 feet) below the streets. Nearby, Kaymaklı spreads wider rather than deeper.

Inside, your guide shows you stables, chapels, kitchens and wine presses, all cut into the soft rock. Air shafts also carry fresh air down through the floors. When raiders came, people rolled heavy stone doors across the passages and waited until the danger passed. So you understand why families could hide here for weeks. Comparing the two? Read Cappadocia red or green tour.

The Ihlara Valley on the South Cappadocia Tour

Next, we drive across the plateau to the Ihlara Valley. From the rim, steps lead down into a green canyon, until the noise of the plateau disappears. At the bottom, the Melendiz River runs between poplars and willows, and frogs call from the reeds.

High in the cliffs on both sides, monks painted churches more than a thousand years ago. We stop at a few of them along the path, from simple early chapels to churches with richer colors. Then the walk continues along the water to the village of Belisırma.

Lunch Over the River

At Belisırma, small restaurants have built wooden platforms right over the river. You can eat grilled trout or meat with your feet a few steps from the water. After lunch, the car meets you in the village.

Selime Monastery

At the far end of the valley, Selime Monastery is a vast rock-cut monastery. Its church, kitchen and great hall climb up the cliff, and from the top, the whole Ihlara Valley stretches away below you. On the way back, we stop above Pigeon Valley near Uçhisar, where thousands of carved pigeon houses dot the cliffs.

From our guides

• Tight spacesSome tunnels are low and narrow. Your guide tells you before each one, so you can skip it.
• SelimeLocals like to say the rock cones around the monastery look like a film set from another planet.
• TroutThe river restaurants at Belisırma grill trout from local farms.
• Ihlara stepsGoing down is easy, but going back up takes time. That is why we walk downstream and meet the car.

Our suggestion Bring a light jacket for the underground city, even in summer. Then you can take it off for the warm walk in the canyon.

Pair the South Cappadocia Tour With the North

On request, we also stop in the old Greek villages of Mustafapaşa and Güzelyurt. You can combine the South Cappadocia tour with our North Cappadocia tour on another day. We arrange your entry to the underground city and the valley sites, timed to their hours. Coming from Istanbul for a single day? Our Cappadocia day trip flies in and out the same day.

Before you go

• 

  Derinkuyu Underground City

  Open

  Open daily; hours change by season, ask us to confirm

  Closed

  Open every day

  Dress

  Shoes with grip and a light layer; it is cool underground

  Entry

  Ticketed; we arrange your entry to Derinkuyu

• 

  Ihlara Valley

  Open

  Open daily; hours change by season, ask us to confirm

  Closed

  Open every day

  Dress

  Walking shoes; a light for the dark churches

  Entry

  Ticketed; we arrange your entry to the valley

• 

  Selime Monastery

  Hours: your guide confirms them locally.

• 

  Pigeon Valley

  Entry

  No ticket needed, open valley

Hours can change on religious holidays. Your guide confirms them the day before.

What’s included

Practical

Updated: October 22, 2026

Starts

Around 8:30. We collect you at your hotel.

Ends

Your hotel

Meeting point

Your cave hotel

Walking

Overall, moderate: narrow, low tunnels underground, steps into the canyon and a flat river path.

Accessibility

Tell us your needs. The underground cities are not suitable for people who fear tight spaces, and the canyon has many steps.

Not suitable for

Travelers with claustrophobia, for the underground city part

Cancellation

After heavy rain, we may shorten the valley walk.

Frequently asked questions